I just trashed a Dell Dimension 8400. #@$!

[jonthedit]

So without reading the instructions on how to open a dell dimension 8400 case I decided to pry the shit out of the case with my hands.
The result was lots of blood and a broken case.
Just a PSA to slow the fuck down when dealing with electronics and READ INSTRUCTIONs if they are available.
Do not be me.

What is worse, is now I can't open the case and it is completely f!@&rdped.
I also pulled off the wrong side. Now the two buttons I am supposed to push (bottom and top) are misaligned with the rest if the case. I can not open the right side anymore. It's jammed shut.

Jammed shut:

So I decided to try prying off the correct side, and just to my luck about half way through I realized I was pulling off the casing and not sliding the actual case seal off.

Now I am completely $&@!'ed with no hope of opening this without ripping it to pieces.


Do not make the same mistake I did, and if you have a solution to my stupidity, please do share.

 

[Psionic Roshambo]

Meh it was an antique anyway... lol

Trying to get the CPU heatsink off for recycling? (I have probably 20 of those things, I figure when I get to about 50 pounds of aluminum it might be worth it to take it in for some $$$ lol)

 

[Tom Bombadildo]

I...

I worked on a PC with a similar case, it should have been childsplay figuring out which side comes off

 

[Ulieq]

Man you suck at taking photos.

 

[jonthedit]

Meh it was an antique anyway... lol

Trying to get the CPU heatsink off for recycling? (I have probably 20 of those things, I figure when I get to about 50 pounds of aluminum it might be worth it to take it in for some $$$ lol)

No. I was actually trying to change out the GPU with another old one I have laying around. I managed to tweak it to the point of smooth Win 7 OS experience, TF2 @ 47fps average, Skyrim (yes, Skyrim) at 5FPS with a fake d3dl.dll, and COD4 and COD5 at 60fps on minimal settings. The other card is significantly better and has shader3 (required to run Skyrim without fake d3d).

 

[jonthedit]

I...

I worked on a PC with a similar case, it should have been childsplay figuring out which side comes off

Just another reason I am definitely not a hardware guy. Software is my preferred field of working. (Programming tweaks, etc)

Man you suck at taking photos.

Sorry . Not exactly using a pro camera and I'm not a very good photographer

 

[Psionic Roshambo]

No. I was actually trying to change out the GPU with another old one I have laying around. I managed to tweak it to the point of smooth Win 7 OS experience, TF2 @ 47fps average, Skyrim (yes, Skyrim) at 5FPS with a fake d3dl.dll, and COD4 and COD5 at 60fps on minimal settings. The other card is significantly better and has shader3 (required to run Skyrim without fake d3d.

Amazing what will run on minimum settings.

I remember pulling off Halo on some piles of crap at my school, had to play it in windowed mode at some crazy low res. but it played well enough to keep me from being bored while everyone else played catch up on IDE specifications.... uuugghhh

 

[Hells Malice]

Brute force is just about the dumbest thing you could apply to electronics.

The first would be explosives of course.

 

[stinkoman]

I...

I worked on a PC with a similar case, it should have been childsplay figuring out which side comes off

Yeah this was pretty fucking retarded on OP's part.

 

[Psionic Roshambo]

Brute force is just about the dumbest thing you could apply to electronics.

The first would be explosives of course.

Hmmm blowing up old PC's actually sounds like fun.... hard drives and video cards flying everywhere in super slow motion.

*runs off to ask TAOFLEDERMAUS to make the video.

 

[Ulieq]

Del 8400 is like 10 years old right? Man, you couldn't find like 50000000 online guides on how to take the case off? Lol

 

[jumpman17]

Those cases suck. The whole side of the case including whatever is attached to that half of it swing out in a 45 degree angle, leaving your precious fleshy hand to have to dig through the sharp jagged insides while the weight of the side slowly makes it go down and further devour your hand.

 

[Tom]

Meh it was an antique anyway... lol

Trying to get the CPU heatsink off for recycling? (I have probably 20 of those things, I figure when I get to about 50 pounds of aluminum it might be worth it to take it in for some $$$ lol)

Alum-inium is about $1.10 per pound

 

[loco365]

Why would you pry it open? The first thing anyone should do is identify and remove any screws on the surface. It'd make it easier right off the bat.

 

[jonthedit]

Why would you pry it open? The first thing anyone should do is identify and remove any screws on the surface. It'd make it easier right off the bat.

It is screwless. It is called the "clamshell" open and close.

Those cases suck. The whole side of the case including whatever is attached to that half of it swing out in a 45 degree angle, leaving your precious fleshy hand to have to dig through the sharp jagged insides while the weight of the side slowly makes it go down and further devour your hand.

Ah. Good thing I tore it apart then.

Brute force is just about the dumbest thing you could apply to electronics.

The first would be explosives of course.

Your post made me laugh out loud, literally.
Love the humor

On the other hand, this is not an "electronic", it is a case.
The internal parts are untouched and work the same. It will just be a pain to dig into the case now.

 

[loco365]

It is screwless. It is called the "clamshell" open and close.

Well whoever designed it should be shot.

 

[DinohScene]

I've had to fix a couple of Dell PC's before.
Fucking dell only works with it's own hardware.
Then again, opening it is a breeze but closing it can be a hassle sometimes.

 

[Jayro]

Newfags don't realize the case opens like a sideways clamshell, with buttons on the top AND bottom for releasing the door. :3

 

[Sheimi]

This reminds me of the time I tried to take off the side of my old XP computer. Spent two hours figuring out how you take it off.

It's a certain way you take it off. It's very confusing.